Lobo Moon
by GottaGetFroggie
Summary: Imagine running free across the countryside under the full moon... yes, Broe are lycans...
1. Default Chapter

I

Dusk was approaching. Leaning into the bars that blocked her window Chloe sighed with realization that once again she was captive and the moon would shortly start its rise from the horizon. The breeze tickled her skin as it blew her hair about her face. Oh how she longed to be free to run through the trees in the moonlight. It had been so long. Her room behind her, though it had been provided out of love, was nothing more than a prison, a cage where she was locked in as the night crept near.

If only she could pull herself away from the window but alas the night was upon her and the smell of freedom wafted through the window torturing her with its scent. As the light faded and the black blue of night transcended she finally pulled her self from the window. Sitting on her bed, which was but a mattress on the floor, she wrapped her self in the rough woolen blanket that has been a constant in her life these past few years. Her mother had refused to give her other bedding saying why bother when it would just get ruined anyway.

Chloe sat with her back against the wall with her eyes closed and waited. Waited for the moon to rise and to trickle it's freeing light in through the window. She longed for it, could taste the freedom that it would bring. True because of the bars she couldn't run free but she could be free. Experience the freedom that only the moon could give her. Then with sudden clarity the room filled with light but alas not moonlight but the flash of lightening. Rain began to fall through the open window as the smell of damp earth filled the room. Fate, torturous fate, there would be no moon this night. Freedom, ever-elusive freedom had fled from her sight once more as she curled onto her side hugging the offensive blanket. Had the moon came she would have not needed the warmth of a blanket, as it was by morning the chill from the open window would find her stiff and achy but she didn't care.

"Chloe... time to wake up... breakfast is ready." No it couldn't possibly be morning already, Chloe thought. Along with the voice, she also heard the click of the dead bolt sliding and creak of the door as it slid partway open. Sure enough it was morning, her mother would have never unlocked the door otherwise. Chloe stretched and shook the chill of dawn from her body. From the still open window she could smell the fragrance of early summer in bloom. The short summer nights were finally here and with it she traded one freedom for another.

After showering and donning clean clothes, Chloe made her way to the kitchen. Her father, Patrick Lane, was a kind man and loved her as best he could. He was pouring syrup on to a high stack of pancakes as she sat at the table. "Did you enjoy the summer storm last night, Chloe?"

Chloe sat down across from him giving him the smile he obviously wanted. "Oh I love the smell of rain." Her mother said as she laid a plate of pancakes in front of Chloe almost as high as her father's. Cathy Lane offered up a fake smile, she didn't really love Chloe as she always professed. She had never even wanted children, but Patrick had. So they had taken the little girl with the big blue eyes and long flowing dark hair into their home. Patrick loved her as if she were his own; Cathy merely tolerated her.

When puberty had come, as it was destined to do the change came with it. Cathy had tried to send her away when it happened but Patrick had interceded saying that if his daughter went so would he. Now nearly six years later, Chloe often wished that Cathy had been successful in her attempt to exile her back to the orphanage where they had gotten her. At least there escape might have been possible.

"What are you going to do today, Chloe?" Patrick's eyes gleamed with love, "There is this nice little place my boss told me about... I think you would like it."

"Really, Daddy, what kind of place?" It was so easy to get pulled into his smile.

"Oh it's kind of a combination coffee house/book store and music store... they even have computers with internet access at every table... the place is called dot com," Patrick took out his credit card and pressed it into her hands, "Here baby, go buy yourself some CD's."

Chloe could feel her mother's glare boring into the back of her head. If she had her way then Chloe would never even leave the house. "Oh thank you, Daddy, you're the best." Chloe glared back at her mother as she made her way out of the kitchen, she was going to leave before her mother found an excuse for her not to go.

"Why did you do that?" Patrick just rolled his eyes and continued to read his morning paper. "Answer me, Patrick, why did you do that? Why did you give her your credit card and just let her walk out like that? You know she shouldn't be out by herself... what if she just decides not to come back?"

Frustration bloomed across Patrick's face, "Would you just shut up, Catherine! It's daylight out, the moon is nowhere in sight, she will be just fine."

"But... but..."

"But what, Catherine?" Patrick said crumpling his paper with all the anger he felt in his heart for fate. "What? What if she doesn't come back? I think that would make you very happy wouldn't it? Don't try to deny it... you wish we had never brought her home. Well I love her... she is my daughter in all ways that count and I love her and you just can't stand it." With that Patrick left his wife standing in the kitchen with her mouth gaping. He was right she didn't care if she returned and actually wished that she wouldn't.

Dot Com was a teen magnet or so it seemed to Chloe as she walked through the door. The smells that assaulted her keen senses were wondrous. She tried her best to pick them all out. There was the sweet smell of coffee, multitudes of different types, and their flavors wafting from the back of the store. There were new book smells and the fragrance of clean plastic riding the air from the right side of the building. Then crashing into it all from every nook and cranny was the onslaught of odor that was human. So many different human smells that it made her almost faint. Clean fresh showered human, dirty sweaty human; the smell of sex both unfulfilled and sated also permeated the room. All of these scents meshed together making her head spin as she approached the CD section.

A flash of blond from the corner of her eye was the only warning she had as she crashed to the floor. CD's that she had been looking at as well as many others fell to the floor around her bouncing off her head in the process. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry..." screeched the petite blond grabbing the CD's from the ground around her. "Here let me help you up... I'm such a klutz."

Chloe let the girl who had the perma-smile plastered to her face help her up, "Don't worry about it, I'm alright..."

"Hey," the blond said, "come join me and my friend at our table... it's just right over there, we are just having coffee and talking about my boyfriend, I love to talk about my boyfriend, he is so cute, but he's mine so don't even think about trying to steal him..." The petite little blond continued to talk as she drug Chloe back to her table not letting her get even a single word in. Chloe had never known that one could talk so much and not pass out from lack of air. "So where are you from cause I know you're new cause I know everyone... Hey Meems look I found someone new. I'm going to go get us some more coffee." As if she needed anymore coffee.

The world was finally starting to slow back to a normal pace as the wind from the petite blond had finally stopped. And now Chloe was being again assaulted by uninhibited friendship that was beaming at her via shining green eyes and a smile as wide as the day is long. "Hi my name is Mimi and I can tell by your face that Belle, yeah that's the name of the caffeine freak that just left, she drug you over and didn't tell you her name did she?"

"Umm... yeah she did," Chloe said taking a seat. "My name is Chloe, my family and I just moved to town."

"Glad to meet ya, Chloe... look you have already made two new friends and let me tell you, Belle, she is definitely a friend worth having."

Suddenly three coffees were set on the table in front of them. "Don't you be telling all my secrets Meems." Belle slid into the seat next to Mimi and stuck out her hand. "Please forgive, before I ran off to get more coffee, I forgot all about introducing myself... I'm Belle, Belle Black and this is my friend Meems or Mimi or Miriam or..."

Chloe could sense another wind building and firmly grasped Belles hand interrupting her, "I'm Chloe, Chloe Lane, and I'm no longer new in town cause now you know me."

"You're right!"

The three new friends laughed and took the rest of the morning getting to know each other. Chloe had never been so immediately accepted by anyone, except for her father. The concept was new for her but somehow felt right. Belle had decided the moment she saw Chloe that she was a beauty getting ready to blossom. Outwardly she wasn't anything special. Chloe wore dark worn clothes and no make up. Her inner light, however, burned through the dark facade, she was special and she reminded her of someone but who, realization nagged at her from the back of her mind, it would come to her just not yet.

Belle slammed the door as she entered her family's penthouse. Sure she knew that her mother hated when she slammed the door but her mother wasn't here and what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. As she trudged up the staircase lugging her purchases that she had made while out shopping with her new friend she couldn't help but feel someone was watching her. She knew that was impossible though cause her parents were out of town on a trip.

"Hey Tink!" No it couldn't be. Belle rushed to the banister and looked down. Sure enough there standing in the middle of the living room was a tall blond lug with a sandwich in one hand a soda in the other and a broad grin beaming from his face.

"Brady!" she yelled dropping her bags and flying down the stair. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm eating a sandwich..." he said as she almost knocked him over in a vice-like hug. "I guess you're glad to see me."

"How long are you going to visit?"

"I'm not visiting, I'm here to stay..."


	2. Chapter 2: To bed with out supper

**II**

"You're staying here... here at the penthouse with me? Please say you're staying here..." Belle pleaded with him her pale blue eyes gleaming.

"You know I can't, Belle... I'll be staying at the loft." Brady was a large strapping lean specimen of maleness. He was the very opposite of Belle's petiteness, however it only took one look at them to know that they were siblings. Unconditional love was a constant between the two of them and radiated in an opalescent glow throughout the room. Of course your everyday mere mortal couldn't see this glow. Belle and Brady weren't ordinary mortals, they were special at least Brady was. Belle possessed no latent abilities but she had gained insight from her closeness with her brother over the years.

"Brady, Mom and Dad are away for a couple of weeks, in Europe, you could stay here..." She pouted, her lip sticking out.

How could he say no to that face? "Ok, Belle, but the day they come home it's to the loft I go."

"Thank you, you're the best!!" Brady held on for dear life as his petite little sprite of a sister proceeded to squeeze the very air out of his lungs.

The night was growing near as Chloe walked down the street toward her house. She had felt free all day, and had even made friends. It wasn't something that often happened to her. She was usually kept on a tight leash. A strict private school had been her education. Extra-curricular activities had been strictly forbidden. With nothing else to do but study she had graduated early. Now being eighteen she longed to go on to college to spread her wings but it hadn't happened yet, her mother had forbidden it saying it was too dangerous to be so far from home. Now perhaps, just perhaps things would change. Her father encouraged her independence and after all Salem was a college town, she could stay home and still take classes.

"Oh Chloe you should definitely enroll, Meems and I are starting in the fall. We can go together!" Belle had been so excited. Chloe felt like she had known her all her life. She would definitely have to ask her father if she could go.

Blinding headlights and screeching tires broke her from her trance like walk down the street toward home. 'Who could that be?' she thought raising her arm to shield her sensitive eyes from the blinding headlights directly in front of her. Doubt fled the minute she heard the voice from the open car window.

"Where the hell have you been, young lady! Do you know what time it is?" Cathy Lane was angry and Chloe would surely pay for making her angry.

Chloe got into the car and silently they drove back to the Lane house. It would do no good to argue with her. They pulled into the driveway and Chloe made no move to get out but waited patiently for the tirade she was sure was coming. "Don't think you can pull the silent treatment on me!! I like you better that way anyway! Now you get into that house and up to your room. I don't want to see you till morning!"

"Yes, Mother..." was all she said as she slid from the car and silently made her way into the house.

"Chloe, baby..." her father called from the kitchen doorway as she stepped onto the bottom step of the stairway to her room. "How was your day? Did you like Dot Com?"

"Yes, thank you, it was wonderful, Daddy..." Chloe smiled at him as she began ascend the stairs.

"Aren't you going to eat dinner with Mother and I?" he asked hopefully.

"No, Daddy, not tonight, I'm not hungry..." Cathy gave a shrug of indifference when Patrick gave her a questioning glance. Maybe she was just tired he thought.

Tonight there would be moon. Chloe was sure she felt it's cool touch even though it had not yet risen. Chloe made her way to her adjoining bathroom and stripped to nothingness. Stepping beneath the pulsating shower she rinsed away the smells of the day. Down the drain they went she would face the night as she was meant to be, clean. Nearly an hour later when the water finally began to run cold, she stepped from the shower and heard the slide of the deadbolt on the door of the outer room. The sound shouldn't have surprised her because if was a routine sound having been heard every night for the past half dozen years, but it still made her grit her teeth in silent protest.

Pale moonlight filtered in through her open window as she came into the room still wet from the shower. A gust of wind blew through the room and the moisture beaded on her silky skin causing her to shiver, but Chloe knew as she approached the window and stepped into the pooling moon light she would soon be warm again.

Without hesitation, Chloe stepped into the moonlight and in an instant where once had been Chloe, now stood a dark wolf, tall and proud.

Had she been an ordinary wolf she would have been considered quite large having the same weight as her daytime form, but at night she was very different. She was strong and quick, her fur thick and smooth. She was dark as the night and her blue eyes gleamed.

Chloe's wolf heart cried with silent joy. This was right; this is how it should be. She loved being the wolf. Chloe lifted herself on her hind legs and placing her forepaws on the open windowsill, and peered out. Even during the daytime her senses were keen but in the night by the light of the waning moon they multiplied a hundred times over. What was a mere image during the day, at night became not only image but also taste, texture and smell.

"Oh the wonder of it all." Her inner voice spoke.

She could still smell the rain from the night before, the damp earth, as it lay undisturbed in the flowerbeds below her window. She hadn't noticed it before the change but did now and reveled in it. The sharp wind blew with it the fragrance of the city. Some scents were definitely more pleasant than others. Her favorite she decided was the smell of the waterfront, oh how she longed to look out over the open water. Running a close second had to be the wooded park in the opposite direction. Oh to actually run free in the moonlight. Chloe dropped her forepaws to the floor with a soft nearly indistinct cry of longing.

Suddenly the room evaporated from around her. Now she stood tall beside a clear mountain lake, the moonlight glowing softly across the water. All around the lake she heard the rustle of the trees as they stood reaching for the sky. The night was a live with movement. Her ears pricked forward and perceived what her eyes could not in the darkness, the whoosh of a screech owls wing in flight, the wine of bats diving, flitting, and foraging in the cool night air.

The memory faded. Chloe found herself staring at the locked door.

This was her prison of that she was for sure, but someday... someday things would change, but for right now she would be patient and bide her time.

Chloe's lips drew back in an angry snarl, her teeth gleaming in the moonlight. Her anger was pointless. Whether the locked door or the barred window, they both stood between her and the freedom she longed for. She began to pace about her cage for the room was nothing but. All the while her mind screaming, "MY TIME WILL COME!"

Brady paced the balcony of the penthouse high above the city. Why had he agreed to stay here in this prison in the sky? He had come back to help his father run his company but was it a mistake? He hoped not. Stopping to peer over the balcony wall to the city below, Brady's mind drifted back to earlier in the evening.

"Thank you, you're the best!!"

"Tink, please sto..." he was asking her ease up a little on her viscous hug when a glorious scent assaulted his nose.

**Sniff, sniff.**

**Sniff, sniff.**

Belle began to giggle uncontrollably as Brady continued to sniff her all over her neck and down across her shoulders and up and down both arms.

**Sniff, sniff.**

**Sniff, sniff.**

"BRADY STOP!" Belle finally fed up pushed him away, "You know I hate when you do that!"

"I'm sorry Tink," Brady said shaking his head to regain control, "Where was it you went today?"

"I went shopping with Meems, why?"

"Just curious."

Coming back from the memory, Brady raised his face to breathe in the cool night air and his inner voice spoke. "Where is she tonight?" The one who owned that scent was out there somewhere and he would find her. He was not alone in the city.


	3. Chapter 3: What is that glorious smell

III

Noon found Chloe naked still lying across her mattress on the floor; she had paced the room till dawn. She remembered turning as her head hit the pillow, it had been a dreamless sleep as it often was.

Sitting up she had this feeling that someone was watching her. Quickly turning her head toward the door she saw a condescending brown eye staring at her through the barely open door. "Good morning, Mother..." The eye quickly retreated and the muffled sound of feet quickly followed it back down the hall. Cathy Lane was always wearing those big fuzzy house shoes, Chloe was sure that she had a pair in every color. Cathy hardly ever left the house so when possible Chloe would leave during the daytime hours just to get away from her. It had been a long while since she had actually wanted to explore a new place maybe she could catch up with her new friends.

Chloe quickly dressed pulling on a pair of black jeans and black tee shirt. The shirt was tight and it accented her figure well. She skipped down the back stairs to the kitchen hoping that she would be able to slip out with out her mother knowing. She was caught though because she couldn't resist the plate on the counter piled high with bacon. She was busy making a very large juicy BLT when her mother came into the kitchen.

"You smell like dog... did you even bother to take a shower this morning?" Cathy said wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Chloe rolled her eyes and continued to build her sandwich. "No, mother I didn't and no I don't stink... I took a shower last night before bed." Once finished she wrapped her BLT in a paper towel and headed for the back door.

"Where do you think you are going?" Cathy said moving to block her way.

Chloe's nostrils flared with anger and with one simple word, "Out." She made her way around her mother and left. She may lock her in at night but Chloe would be damned if she was going to let her lock her in during the day. No she had tasted freedom the day before and she was not going to easily give it up.

"Chloe I was hoping I would see you again today!" Belle chirped happily as she settled herself in to the high chair at the table of the open aired Java Café.

"Hi Belle," Chloe said smiling at her friend, "Would you like to join me for some coffee?"

"Coffee? Oh you know it, I love coffee..." Belle already had one hand in the air waving frantically for the waitress, while her other hand reached for Chloe's cup, "Here let me have a sip of yours... I need it bad."

From anyone else the gesture would have been rude but for some reason it just seemed natural that Belle had helped herself to her coffee.

"Mmmm," Belle said her eyes rolling up into her head, "now that is good coffee."

Chloe smiled and suddenly the breeze blew wondrous scent her way.

**Sniff, sniff.**

**Sniff, sniff.**

Chloe began to frantically sniff the air around her and for the first time during the light of day she felt her wolfness rising, coiled just under the surface.

**Sniff, sniff.**

**Sniff, sniff.**

"Chloe, what are you doing?" Belle said looking at her with wide-eyed fascination.

Startled back to reality Chloe stammered, "Umm... well... umm well something smells amazing."

"Oh that!" Belle giggled, "I got new perfume..." she smelled her wrist then shoved it quickly under Chloe's nose, "Doesn't it smell wonderful?"

"Yes it does," Chloe agreed as the waitress placed Belle's coffee down, but that was not what she had smelled.

Brady paced the floor of his new office. He had agreed to come back and help with his father's company so that his father could travel more with his stepmother. It hadn't been something he really wanted to do but now things had changed. If he only knew. "Where is she?"

"I'm right here, ya big lug!"

At the sound of the voice, Brady twirled around to see Mimi leaning against his office doorframe. Her smile was as wide as he remembered and her green eyes gleamed with mischief. "So you are..." Brady said crossing the room to swoop her up in a bone-crushing hug, she was like another sister to him. "Why is it you are here again?"

"Put me down, Brady!" she said swatting at him as he put her back on her feet. "See that desk out there? That's my desk, I'm your secretary."

"Really..."

"Yes and you would have known that sooner had you gotten your tushy in here before noon." Maybe he would enjoy this job. Mimi always called it like she saw it's a trait Brady admired greatly.

"Well Mimi, as my secretary, you need to know that I commonly don't get in before noon, so it is your job to make it seem like I get in by eight." And with that he plopped down into his office chair and propped his feet on his desk.

"Fine as long as you don't mind when I take the occasional long lunch three to four times a week." She said sitting on the corner of the desk.

"Oh, occasionally, three to four times a week..."

"Yes..." she said batting her eyelashes at him.

"Oh stop it with the eye thing... you don't have to convince me." Brady said, "I don't care if my sister drags you to long lunches as long as the work gets done."

"Thanks," she said bounding toward the door.

"Hey where are you going?"

"To lunch, silly, I'm meeting Belle at the Java Café."

It's starting already he thought grinning to himself. It didn't matter much really. He knew his father's company practically ran itself. But it had been decided that a Black needed to be there and in charge when his father was away, Kate, his father's right hand was acting too much like the company was hers in his absence.

"Over here, Meems!" Belle yelled when she saw her friend come around the corner toward the café.

"Hey Belle..." she said while grabbing Chloe and hugging her, "Chloe it's so nice to see you again."

"You too, Meems!" **Sniff, sniff. **Chloe quickly sniffed along her shoulder as Mimi continued to hug her. There's that wonderful smell again!

Meems sat down between them at the table looking like she could burst. "Ok, what's up?" Belle asked, "You look like the cat that ate the canary."

"I got a new boss today!"

"Let me guess, he's tall blond and with rippling muscles, and you have already demanded long lunches?" Belle gleamed knowingly.

"Of course!"

"Of course?" Chloe interjected, "What kind of boss lets you demand long lunches on his first day?"

"Oh it was easy, Chloe," Belle explained, "The tall blond boss is my brother and Meems here has always had him wrapped."

"That's convenient, maybe you could get me a job like that..." Chloe said smiling.

"Oh no way... you stay away from my job!" Mimi teased, "Besides just keeping Belle company while I work to make tuition money will easily turn into a full time job."

"Meems! You talk like I'm so high maintenance!"

"Well you are!!" Mimi put her hand on Chloe's arm, "Don't let her perkiness fool you, Chloe, she is very high maintenance."

"Meems!"

Chloe couldn't help but smile, she loved to watch the friendly banter between the two. She could not believe her luck in finding their friendship. The three of them ate lunch and Belle talked about her boyfriend who had just left for basic training, he had joined the Navy right out of high school.

Then all too quickly lunch was over, Mimi had to get back to the office and Belle had informed Chloe that an afternoon of shopping was required so the three parted ways.

"I feel a makeover coming on, Chloe let's hit the stores!" Belle cried dragging her toward nearest store.

Brady sat leaned back in his office chair his feet still propped up snoring lightly. In his dream he was running free on a high plateau as he neared the edge he stopped and reared his head toward the sky.

"Ahhhroooooo!" he howled at the twinkling stars above.

His nostrils flared catching the scent. HER scent!

**Sniff, sniff.**

**Sniff, sniff.**

Brady opened his eyes to find just under his nose a plate sporting the biggest BLT he had seen in a long time.

"I thought that would wake you..." Mimi smiled down at him as she placed the plate into his hands. "I remembered that it was your favorite."

"Yes, it is, thank you, Meems." It was indeed his favorite but it was not the scent that had woke him from his dreams.


	4. Chapter 4: Chasing rabbits

IV

It was Friday, the weekend. "Let's go to the mountains, Belle... I want to run free." Brady said wringing his hands, the look of sheer want in his eyes.

"How 'bout I just take you for a midnight stroll in the park, Brady." She said continuing to read her Cosmo.

Sometimes he really wanted to strangle her, he really did. He knew she didn't understand his need, she wasn't like him, but damn it he had been here with her all week long cooped up in this place. Pacing, night after night, longing to explore.

"Fine you won't go, I'll go alone." He said grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

"Be careful!!" Belle called but he was already out the door.

The night air was cool as he drove out of town. Reaching look out point high above the city, Brady parked the jeep and breathed in the fresh night air. The edge of the moon was starting to rise as he peeled the clothes from is body. In an instant he stood tall and proud all four paws firmly on the ground. If he could see himself he would agree with what his sister had once said, that he was a magnificent creature. He had a shimmering golden coat and his blue eyes gleamed through the darkness. If there had been a pack to belong to he would definitely be an alpha, he was strong and commanding with just a touch of arrogance. These traits he carried with him in his day form as well as his night. Interwoven among those traits were also his ability to love and his most dominant trait of all, loyalty.

Brady ran into the night, his paws pounding into the dirt beneath him. He was free, free to breath in the night air and race the wind. And he was alone. "No, no, don't think about the loneliness!" his inner voice shrieked. He kept running. Finally exhaustion hit him. Brady sat on his haunches, heavily breathing his tongue hanging out in deep laborious pants. From where he sat he could see his jeep, he had come a full circle. Within him hunger was raging, his need to feed upon him. In his frustration with Belle he had not eaten before he left the penthouse, in fact he hadn't eaten since he had had Meems bring him that rare double burger from The Burger Barn at noon.

From the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Instantly mid-pant he froze his ears pricked forward. The only movement he made was the drip, drip, drip from his tongue that now hung unmoving from his jowls. Where was it, what had he seen. There it was again the a small streak of white, a cottontail. With swift lightening precision, instinct took over. The predator was in pursuit of his prey.

Normally when Chloe overslept no one cared or tried to bother her but not today. She had forgotten that it was Saturday. "Chloe, honey!" her father knocked at her door waking her, "Chloe, wake up, you have a visitor downstairs."

Chloe slowly stretched and yawned and while wiping the sleep from her eyes asked, "Who is it?"

"She said her name is Belle Black."

"Oh my gosh!" Chloe said jumping from the bed and running into her bathroom, "Tell her I'll be down in a few minutes."

Patrick returned to the living room and the petite blond waiting on the couch, "She'll be down in a few Miss Black."

"Please call me Belle, everyone does." She said looking at the man before her. He was balding but she could tell that he had been a shocking red head in his youth. His green eyes gleamed like her friend Mimi's.

Patrick sat down in the recliner across from her, "So Belle, are you any relation to John Black of Basic Black?"

"As a matter of fact, he's my father..."

"Really, small world, he's my boss."

"You work at Basic Black, so you probably know my brother too!"

"Oh yeah, Brady he's quite a guy... always in by eight, seems to never stop working..."

This made Belle smile, actually she wanted to laugh. She knew for a fact that Brady never made it in before noon. Mimi was doing her job well.

Chloe could hear her father jabbering away as she descended the stairs. Belle might have met her match because Patrick Lane could talk your leg off.

"... and in a couple of weeks I'm supposed to go out of town on company business for a week, thinking about making a vacation out of it and taking the missus with..."

Chloe couldn't believe her ears. "You and Mother are going out of town without me?" Chloe asked stepping down from the last step. They had never left her alone before.

Patrick's eyes lit up seeing the smile on Chloe's face. "If that's alright with you, Chloe... you're old enough to take care of yourself."

Chloe launched herself at her father, "Oh thank you , thank you, Daddy!" she cried while Belle looked on. She couldn't figure what the big deal was, her parents left her alone all the time.

Patrick was so happy that he had made Chloe happy. When their hug ended he pressed his credit card into her hand. "Now you and your friend over there go buy out the stores... I'm tired of seeing you in black all the time."

Belle shrieked with glee and grabbing Chloe's hand drug her from the house. Destination, the mall.

"Yeeeeowwwww!!"

"Damn it, Brady, hold still!" The dark haired blue-eyed doctor stood with a pair of pliers poised to dive back into Brady's open mouth.

"Dr Wesley, are you purposefully trying to dislocate my jaw?" Brady asked with apprehension filled eyes.

"Of course not now open back up and hold still."

A few tugs later followed by a moist popping sound, Dr Wesley finally stood smiling his prize at hand. Grasped at the end of the pliers was an inch long gleaming white bone.

"Brady, how many times have I warned you about eating the wildlife while out on a run?"

"But, Dr. Wesley..."

"Don't give me any Buts... Brady, we are civilized, and we do not eat woodland creatures." He lectured wagging his finger mere inches in front of Brady's face.

"I know..." Brady hung his head, shameful for what he had done.

"Don't be ashamed, Brady, we all have our moments of weakness."

Brady raised his head to look into Dr. Wesley's eyes. He had known this man for most of his life. He and Brady's mother had been pack mates when they had been young, years before his mother's death. Dr. Wesley, Craig Wesley had reentered Brady's life at the time of his first change. He had know Brady would need guidance.

"Do you, Dr Wesley, have moments of weakness?"

"Of course..." then with a sly grin and a wicked twinkle in his eye Craig asked, "Did it at least give you a good chase?"

Brady nodded, chuckling, "Yup, it sure did!"

"Oh wow! Mrs. Wesley would never let me go out and chase rabbits."

"No?"

"Never, no way!" Craig pulled up the stool and sat in front of Brady, "But I have my memories... Me and your Mom... oh man... we would chase rabbits..."

Brady recognized the faraway look in the man's eyes and knew he was in for a treat. He loved hearing about his mother and her pack mate's exploits.

"There was this one time..."

"Chloe, come on in... Chloe?" Belle had already made it into the penthouse and was at the bottom of the stairs with her packages when she realized that Chloe was not behind her.

Chloe stood herself braced in the doorway breathing in the beautiful scent that wafted about the penthouse. What was it? She had caught lingering whiffs of it over the past few days but nothing like this. It was glorious wrapping itself around her and warming her from within. She had never, in all her live experienced anything like it.

"Chloe?" Belle had put her bags down and was cautiously approaching her friend, "Are you alright? You don't look so good... you're all flushed."

"Umm... yeah I'm alright." Chloe said letting Belle lead her into the room further.

"Let's go out to the kitchen and get something to drink," Belle pulled her toward the kitchen, "Maybe you just got too much sun..."

"Yeah, you could be right... maybe..."


	5. Chapter 5: And they meet

V

"What time is it, Belle?" Chloe, who was wearing a new floral sundress, asked looking into the vanity mirror at Belle who doing her hair for her. Belle took this make over thing serious, she had applied just a touch of make up to Chloe's face, not a lot but just enough to bring out her naturally beautiful features. "Belle?"

"Huh... what?" Belle looked up from admiring her beautiful creation, of course the fact that she was drop dead gorgeous to begin with only added to the effect.

"I asked what time it was?"

"It's early, Chloe not even five yet, we have to go out for a little while to show off your look..." Belle just knew that Chloe was going to have to fight off the men of this town and she wanted to at least introduce her to a couple of nice ones.

"I have to be home before dark, it's a rule."

"What kind of rule is that?" You're eighteen years old, I'm sure your father wouldn't mind... he'd probably let you stay here tonight if you just asked..."

"Belle..." Chloe raised her hand to stop her before she went any further. "Belle, I'd love to stay over but I can't, not tonight, I have to be home before dark."

A look of defeat shown in her eyes, and Belle knew she had lost, but then just as quickly she had another thought and the smile returned. "Ok... so you have to be home by dark... it's summer, Chloe... it doesn't get dark till nearly nine we have four hours to be out there on the prowl."

On the prowl, if she only knew Chloe thought, "Ok well I'm ready but are you going looking like that?"

Belle looked down at what she was wearing, her shopping wear, "Oh my gosh you're right!" she began to frantically run about the room pulling out drawers pulling out clothes her mouth still running a mile a minute and grinning like madwoman. "Don't worry, I'll be ready before you know it."

In the mean time down stairs, Brady had just walked in the door. He had spent most of the day with Dr. Wesley who had told him stories with such vivid details he could still see the images in his mind. Except now is mind was reeling. "She's here." Her smell had assaulted him the minute he had stepped over the threshold of penthouse door. His heart raced as the smell enveloped him. It wrapped itself around him in a loving caress. He had never felt this way before, it made him want to howl out loud in pure ecstasy. "Beeeeellllle," he called, well practically howled, he just couldn't help it.

Chloe stopped suddenly still, looking with wide eyes at Belle for an explanation. "Who was that?" She verbally asked while her mind asked what was that?

Belle never even stopped moving just kept pulling out clothes and essentials, "Oh that's my brother," her stuff finally gathered she headed toward the bathroom, "Go down and tell him I'm in the shower, just give me he half an hour..." and with that she was in the bathroom leaving Chloe standing there.

When Chloe stepped out into the hallway and made her way down the hall her head began to swim. She slowly began to descend the stairs toward the living room.  
  
Brady, who had been circling the living room following the trail her scent had left, stopped frozen in his tracks and looked toward the stairs locking eyes with his destiny.

Everything slowed down, and Chloe stared down at Brady, a myriad of emotions flooding her mind making her grow weak. Instant attraction mingled with fear and anticipation. She didn't even know this man, how could he make her feel this way? For that matter why did he make her feel this way? She could barely breath when she croaked, "Hi... I'm... umm... Chloe, Belle's friend..."

Brady stood speechless not breathing, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Several seconds had passed, Chloe knew that he wasn't mute; she had heard him call for Belle. She decided to help him out, "...and you are?"

Brady was snapped back to awareness and smiled broadly, "I'm Brady, and I knew you were here."

"You did?" Chloe took one more step down, as Brady took the stairs swifter than the blink of an eye. Suddenly they were together on the stairs not a hair's breath between them. Brady had his face nuzzled into her neck. A shiver of apprehension flowed through her as his breath tickled the hollow of her neck while he inhaled her scent.

Brady turned his head, slow, to whisper in her ear, "I could smell you."

Brady had to quickly snake his arms around her waist because Chloe's knees began to wobble and give out. His words, "I could smell you," kept running through her mind. Then just as suddenly she realized that the wonderful smell she had been experiencing the past few days was Brady. Was it possible? Was he like her? Now he stood oh so close and she couldn't help but tremble.

Brady stared into her eyes, he wasn't sure she had understood what he had told her, then he felt her attempting to push him away. "Please let me go." She asked. He immediately complied and though it had been what she'd asked for, she immediately regretted it, the loss so overwhelming. She wanted them back around her, the comfort she had never felt before to engulf her once more.

Brady felt the loss too. In her arms everything had felt right almost peaceful. Now with his arms empty and Chloe walking past him on the stairs to make her way down to the couch. Fear of rejection flowed into him like a dam bursting; he sat down on the steps his knees now taking a turn at feeling weak. "I'm sorry if I was too forward. Forgive me?"

Chloe had her back to him as she neared the couch a slight smile began to grow on her face as she reached up to run a finger over the spot that his breath had touched on her neck. She twirled around to see the look of longing that played across his face, the same feeling echoed in her mind as well. She didn't know what to say but her mind was on autopilot and habits of politeness were all she could muster as she took a seat on the couch. "There's nothing to forgive. Belle will be down in a few minutes, we are going out for a while."

"Oh ok," Brady said never taking his eyes off of her, he had propped his chin on his hands who where laced together with his elbows resting on his knees. Several minutes passed with no words being said between them only their eyes memorizing each other's every last feature. Suddenly as the quiet was closing in, Brady said, "Where are my manners, would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you."

"Ok well if you don't mind," Brady said raising to his feet and coming toward her. He just had to be closer. "Can I wait with you, I haven't seen Belle today, I was out all night."

"No not at all, please sit." She patted the cushion next to her and he sat down. The emptiness they had felt was draining away. "Where did you go?"

"Last night?"

"Yes"

"I went for a run, through the country side."

"At night, in the dark?"

Brady looked at her wide blue eyes, eyes filled with wonder and longing. She looked as if she had never experienced the pleasure of a midnight run in the moonlight or had but not in a very long time. "It wasn't so dark, the moon was out and it was full and it lit up the countryside. It was glorious, the wind was blowing slightly and I could smell every living thing and the dirt crunched beneath my bare feet."

"Wow," she said realizing he said bare feet. He must be like her, she hoped, if he was running in the moonlight with bare feet. From his description she could imagine that she felt what he had felt. In her minds eye she could see what he had seen. She wished she could run free like that.

"I'll take you sometime, Chloe, if you would like."

Oh that is never going to happen, she thought, she knew her mother would never allow it, but her heart wasn't listening to the reasoning in her head. "I would love that."

"Ok, it's a date," Brady's mind was swirling, she had said yes, "When would you like to go?"

"Oh... well um..." now what was she going to say? How was she going to explain that her parents lock her in at night, something that no one has obviously ever done to him. No a midnight run was impossible. Then she remembered something and a smile bloomed on her face. "I'm really busy right now but soon when my folks go out of town, I should have plenty of time."

So a midnight run would have to wait but until then he was going to spend as much time as he could with her. "Where are you and Belle going tonight?"

"I don't know, just to grab a bite to eat I think. I have to be home before dark, it's a rule."

"Oh," Brady was starting to get the picture, Chloe led a sheltered life. That's why they must wait to take that run till her parents are out of town. "I would love to take you out, how 'bout we do something tomorrow afternoon? I promise to have you home before dark."

"Ok, I'd like that." They both smiled into each other's eyes. It was as if they had known each other for eternity. They launched into a conversation about the various things to see and do on a Sunday afternoon in Salem.

A few minutes later, Belle approached them from the stairs but neither had noticed, they were too busy talking to each other and exchanging phone numbers. "Ok I'll pick you up about noon."

"Sounds good." Chloe said a light dancing in her eyes that Belle had never seen since she had met her. She could also see the same light emanating from her brother's eyes as well, she could tell he was smitten.

"Ahem." Belle cleared her throat to draw their attention. "I see you two met, would you like to go have something to eat with us, Brady?"

Would he? Of course he would, he wanted nothing more than to spend every waking minute with Chloe, but not with Belle there, he didn't want to share her attention. He would definitely hog Chloe's attention and that wouldn't be fair to Belle. "No, that's alright, Dr. Wesley invited me over to have dinner with him and Mrs. Wesley. You two go have your girls night out."

"Ok then..." with that Belle grabbed Chloe's hand and drug her from the penthouse. She noticed that Brady and Chloe's eyes were locked on one another until they had completely cleared the door. Then stepping into the elevator she also noticed that in Chloe's eyes the shining excitement had been replaced with an empty longing look. "Don't worry, he's hooked." She said placing her hand on Chloe's arm startling her.

"What? What do you mean?" Chloe's eyes went wide.

"Don't try to deny it, I heard you making a date with him, I can tell you are into my brother and he's into you too."

"Oh I don't think so... he's just trying to be nice." Chloe said shaking her head.

"Oh no," Belle shook her head smiling, "He's into you, you have him wrapped."

"Belle, we just met."

"I don't care," Belle had watched them for a few minutes from the stairs, "You two act like you have always known each other."

"Belle..."

"No, no, I know my brother, he's never just nice because he wants to be. For the most part he's downright arrogant and selfish except to those he loves, and he never dates casually, he feels a connection with you otherwise he wouldn't have bothered." Belle stepped off the elevator when the doors opened on the first floor.

Chloe stood there deep in thought. The things Belle had just said brought the fear and apprehension rushing back to ride the crashing waves of emotion in her head. Thankfully right along side of them was also riding a comforting calmness that hadn't been there before today. She felt complete.

"Miss, are you getting off?" An elderly lady asked who was holding open the elevator door open for her.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry." Chloe said rushing off the elevator to catch up with Belle.

"Brady, come on in." Craig said as he held his front door open for a beaming Brady.

"Brady Black," Nancy Wesley said enveloping him in a hug, she was a robust woman with warm auburn hair, "You look like the cat the ate the canary."

"Oh, Mrs. Wesley, I think I ate the whole damn flock." Brady just couldn't stop grinning, he had been grinning so much his face was starting to hurt.

"Oh really?" Craig said wondering what could have possibly happened since they had spoken earlier.

"Yes, Dr. Wesley."

"Brady, how many times over the years have I told you to call us Craig and Nancy?" Nancy said pulling him to the couch to sit down, Craig followed and sat down too. "Now tell us about this flock of canaries."

"Oh she's amazing!"

"Oh so this is about a girl." Craig said his interest piqued.

"Oh not just any girl... THE girl." Brady said with certainty

"This sounds serious, I've never heard you talk about a girl like that." Nancy said, what made Brady happy made her happy, she and Craig both loved him like a son. When they had entered his live at the time of his first change, Brady had instantly filled that void that the loss of her and Craig's daughter caused a few years before.

"I am very serious, this is very serious, there will never be another for me." Brady said looking into their love filled faces, "I can't wait to take her running in the moonlight."

Both Craig and Nancy looked at him with astonishment, then Craig asked, "Wait a minute Brady, are you saying that she is a lycan?"

"Yes..."


	6. Chapter 6: Her family

VI

"I don't care, Craig, we know nothing about this girl," Nancy flittered about the kitchen making breakfast, they had spent the entire previous evening listening to Brady go on and on about this mysterious girl who was new in town, had already managed to become one of Belle's closest friends and just happened to by a lycan. "For all we know she could here to hurt our Brady."

"Nancy don't jump to conclusions..."

"No, now you listen to me, Craig, the day I fell in love with you, I decided that I had to know all about who Craig Wesley was. Getting to know you meant learning everything there was about being a lycan too."

Craig could feel a lecture building and knew that the only way for her to get past anything was to get it out of her system. "And what did you learn, Nancy?"

"That lycans need other lycans, they need at least the semblance of a pack," she wagged her finger at him while turning her bacon, "That's why we came to Salem for you to be close to Brady."

"So why does this not bode well for Brady's new girl?"

"Because if another family of lycans were moving into the area we would have been contacted so that we could give them a proper welcome. It's disrespectful to encroach on another packs domain with out proper notice and permission." She said placing a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him.

"Nancy," Craig said shaking his head and munching bacon, "We are hardly a pack; there are only two of us, me and Brady."

"I don't care if there are only two of you, technically you are pack leader and you are being disrespected!" Nancy ripped off her apron and left the kitchen leaving Craig to ponder her theories. He knew how relentless Nancy could be and knew that she wouldn't stop until they knew everything there was to know about Chloe Lane and her family.

Brady sat in his jeep in front of the Lane house just waiting for it to be noon. He had been there for a good forty-five minutes, but they had decided on noon so he was patiently waiting. Well maybe not patiently. Finally at ten before noon he could wait no longer and made his way to the door.

"He's coming to the house." Cathy said peering out the front window through the open blinds.

"Who is?" Patrick asked from behind his Sunday paper.

"That strange man that has been watching the house for the last hour. Weren't you listening when I told you earlier."

Patrick rolled his eyes, his wife was prone to fits of paranoia from time to time, and everyone was out to get her, even the ice cream man with his maniacal little bell. Brady began to ring the doorbell, Patrick jumped up and said, "I'll get it, Dear." Before she could launch into a hysterical tirade.

"Be careful, it could be anyone."

Patrick looked through the peephole before opening the door and smiled. "I don't think we have anything to worry about, go make us some coffee." Cathy just stood there waiting for him to open the door. "Go on Cathy, coffee!"

"Fine." She said fleeing the room only to stop on the other side of the kitchen doorway to spy through the crack in the door.

Brady was about to knock, thinking the doorbell was broken when Patrick opened the door. "Hello Mr. Black, what brings you by today."

Brady was completely caught off guard then realized that he knew the man before him, "Hey, you're Patrick Lane from the accounting department."

"Yes, I am, come in, please."

Brady walked into the house and realized immediately why Chloe carried with her the air of apprehension. The house was stark and sterile, a very antiseptic smell assaulted his nose. Not only did the house smell wrong, only Chloe's strong sent wafting through, but also the strong comforting auras that all lycan households had, was missing. Brady took in Patrick Lane's appearance his features were common enough down to his smiling green eyes but he wasn't a lycan, Brady was sure. Then a short mousy haired woman with brown eyes came into the room with a tray of coffee. "Brady this is my wife, Cathy. Cathy, I'd like you to meet my boss, Brady Black." She sat down the tray and offered her hand.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Lane and actually my father's the boss." Brady took her hand courteously, it was cold and clammy and he had to resist the urge to wipe his hand on his jeans when she let go. Now he was certain. These people weren't Chloe's parents. They were nothing like her, they weren't even lycan.

"So what brings you by, Mr. Black?" she asked pouring and offering him a cup of coffee, "Are you just trying to get to know your employees better."

Brady took the cup offered, "As I said, my father is the boss, not me. I'm here to pick up Chloe."

As much as his comment made Cathy frown, Patrick's smile was even bigger. "How do you know Chloe?" Cathy demanded. "I want to know now!"

"Cathy!" Patrick scolded, "I'm sorry Mr. Black, Mrs. Lane is very protective of our Chloe."

This woman caught Brady off guard; he didn't like her at all. He felt the hair rippling along his arm and he fought the urge to growl at her. "Well, Chloe is worth protecting, in fact..."

Chloe who had come into the room in time to hear her mother's embarrassing outburst laid her hand on his arm instantly calming the rage that was building for her mother. "You don't have to explain anything, Brady, let's just go." Chloe leaned down to give her father a kiss on the cheek, "I'll be home later, Daddy."

Brady was all too ready to leave this house, and shook Patrick's hand on his way to the door. "You two have a good time," Patrick called to them as Chloe pulled Brady from the house. He then went back to reading his paper feeling Cathy's eyes glaring at him.

"I can't believe you just let her walk out the door with him." She stood up to pace the room frantically, "What do you think he is going to do when he finds out what she is, don't you like being employed."

Patrick threw his paper down in disgust, "What do you mean 'what she is'? She's our daughter, Cathy!"

"She's not my daughter, she's a monster!"

"If she is such a monster, Cathy, then why do you stay?" Patrick was fed up, why he ever loved this women, he'll never know. "Why don't you just pack your shit and go back to your mother in Syracuse!"

Cathy stopped and glared at him, "Don't tempt me, Patrick, I just might do that."

"Would you like me to bring the suitcases up from the basement for you?" Patrick got up heading for the door to the basement.

"So that's how it is... you really want me to leave?"

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Cathy."

"Fine I won't, and I'll get my own damn suitcases!" she yelled pushing past him. With any luck she could be gone before Chloe returned.

Brady and Chloe had gone several blocks before breaking the silence between them. "You're mother is a trip..." Brady said downshifting the jeep as they went around a corner.

"I'm sorry about that back there, Brady." She said memorizing his strong profile, wanting to run her finger along is jaw line but instead staying firmly on her side of the jeep.

"Not to worry," Brady smiled over to her and reached to hold her hand, "So how long have you lived with the Lanes?"

Chloe jerked her hand away and said "What do you mean?"

Brady pulled the jeep into a parking lot and applied the parking brake then turned in the seat to look at her. "I mean, it's obvious that they are not your real parents. They are nothing like us, Chloe."

"And what are we, Brady?" Until she had met Brady, Chloe had thought she was alone in the world. Her mother had all but convinced her she was an abomination, a freak. She had been locked in her room almost every night for the past 6 years, not for her safety as her mother had claimed but for the safety of others. "Tell me, please, I want to know."

How could she not know, just who were these people that had kept her in the dark for so many years? Where was her real family? He wanted the answers and would find them too but now to give her an answer. "We are lycans..."

"Lycans?"


End file.
